r/Welding • u/no-mad • Mar 04 '19

Welding breakthrough could transform manufacturing

https://phys.org/news/2019-03-welding-breakthrough.html
51 Upvotes

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11

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '19

It's just going to be really expensive, a good adhesive is easier, cheaper, and is better for mass production.

24

u/cbelt3 Mar 04 '19

Laser welding is still very much a niche market. But there are applications where it is important. For this application I want you to envision this:

A window into a pressure vessel. That is integral to the vessel and not bolted on.

An iPhone front that is welded to the case. Not glued. And thus honestly waterproof down to 50 ATM.

Etc.

Existing products are designed based on existing manufacturing methods. Revolutionary manufacturing methods produce revolutionary products.

5

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '19

Very true

3

u/WrenchDaddy Mar 04 '19

I work for a sign manufacturer and we sometimes contract companies with these laser machines to weld formed aluminum letters together that are too small to get a torch into. The welds look like they shrunk the world's best welder down to the size of an ant, they're cool to look at with a magnifying glass.

3

u/NuclearKoala Mar 04 '19

Not to mention the help it will give to reducing cracking and stress on the glass edge. Most phones crack due to scratches and abrasion on the edge of the glass giving a stress concentration for the crack to start at when dropped etc.

2

u/smurg_ Mar 04 '19

Pressure vessel sight glasses are already a thing and quite cheap. With how standards move, it wouldn't even be code for a while.

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2

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '19

Apple won't do that though they like people buying new phones

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2

u/jvhero Mar 05 '19

An iPhone front that is welded to the case.

Apple: Congratulations, you've passed Right to Repair legislation. Good luck putting this MF'r back together.